Pennsylvania governor's mansion badly damaged in arson attack
Video shows the inside of the Pennsylvania governor's mansion after a man allegedly set it on fire, causing extensive damage. Cody Balmer, 38, was arrested and charged in connection to the attack. (Video: Commonwealth Media Services)
The man who police say confessed to setting fire to the mansion of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, D-Penn., and his family was "not a fan of Trump" and a "whack job," President Donald Trump said Monday.
Cody Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, is "currently receiving treatment" at a hospital for a "medical event not connected to this incident or his arrest," Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) said. Balmer served in the Army reserves from 2004 to 2012, Heather Hagan, an Army spokesperson, told Fox News.
He was a construction equipment repairer and had no deployments, Hagan said. He was a sergeant when he left the military.
Balmer has been charged with domestic terrorism, aggravated arson, aggravated assault, criminal homicide and other counts, according to a criminal complaint unveiled Monday.
Cody Balmer, 38, is charged with attempted murder, aggravated arson, burglary, terrorism, and related offenses for allegedly setting fire to Gov. Josh Shapiro's, D-Penn., governor's mansion on April 13, 2025. (Dauphin County District Attorney's Office)
While being interviewed by troopers, "Balmer admitted to harboring hatred towards Governor Shapiro." Balmer told investigators "he removed gasoline from a lawn mower and poured it into Heineken bottles he found at his residence," according to the complaint.
Trump was asked during his meeting with El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele if he had learned of a possible motive for Balmer.
"No, I haven't, but, the attacker was not a fan of Trump, I understand," Trump said. "Just from what I read and from what I've been told, the attacker basically wasn't a fan of anybody's. Probably just a whack job. And certainly a thing like that cannot be allowed to happen."
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., called the attack on Shapiro "inexcusable," saying "such evil cannot be tolerated."
"Thankfully, they are unharmed. The perpetrator must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," he wrote on X.
Balmer was first identified to police by an ex-lover after he allegedly confessed to her and "wanted her to call police to turn him in," according to the criminal complaint obtained by Fox News. It was only a short time later that Balmer turned himself in outside Pennsylvania State Police headquarters, police said.
A criminal complaint released on Monday, April 14, 2025, described the arson attack at the Pennsylvania governor's mansion. (Associated Press)
Balmer "remains under PSP supervision and will be transported to the Dauphin County Prison for arraignment upon his release," PSP said in a statement.
Balmer allegedly told police he walked an hour to the governor's mansion "with the intention of throwing his homemade Molotov cocktails into the residence."
Troopers say Balmer admitted to scaling a perimeter fence, breaking two windows with a hammer and throwing Molotov cocktails inside. The arson suspect allegedly admitted he was aware it was a possibility that Shapiro and others were home at the time and "it was a possibility that people could be injured by his actions."
Had Balmer come face-to-face with Shapiro, he allegedly said, "he would have beaten him with his hammer." Following the interview, Balmer was taken into custody.
Governor Josh Shapiro and the Pennsylvania State Police provide an update on the act of arson that took place at the Governor's Residence. (Commonwealth Media Services)
Police say the arson suspect was caught on security cameras both in and outside the mansion "wearing a black ‘Snap-On’ jacket, black boots and carrying a bag." Troopers say they found the jacket, bag "and a small sledge hammer" at Balmer's home.
The fire broke out around 2 a.m. Sunday after Shapiro, considered a potential presidential contender for the Democratic Party in 2028, and his family celebrated the first night of the Jewish holiday of Passover.
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"This kind of violence is becoming far too common in our society," the politician said. "And I don't give a damn if it's coming from one particular side or the other, directed at one particular party or another, or one particular person or another. It is not okay and it has to stop. We have to be better than this."
Fox News Digital's Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
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